The marine regions and subregions map and correspondent layers provide information about the geographic boundaries of the areas listed in Article 4 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The map has been developed to support DG Environment and EU Member States in their implementation of the MSFD. It represents the current state of understanding of the marine regions and subregions and is subject to amendment in light of any new information which may be produced.

It is not possible to assess whether past climate change has already affected water- and food-borne diseases in Europe, but the sensitivity of pathogens to climate factors suggest that climate change could be having effects on these diseases.
The number of vibriosis infections, which can be life-threatening, has increased substantially in Baltic Sea states since 1980. This increase has been linked to observed increases in sea surface temperature, which has improved environmental conditions for Vibrio species blooms in marine waters. The unprecedented number of vibriosis infections in 2014 has been attributed to the unprecedented 2014 heat wave in the Baltic region.
Increased temperatures could increase the risk of salmonellosis.
The risk of campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis could increase in those regions where precipitation or extreme flooding is projected to increase.
Climate change can have an impact on food safety hazards throughout the food chain.

Global mean sea level has risen by 19.5 cm from 1901 to 2015, at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year, but with significant decadal variation. The rate of sea level rise since 1993, when satellite measurements have been available, has been higher, at around 3 mm/year. Global mean sea level in 2015 was the highest yearly average over the record and ~70 mm higher than in 1993.
Evidence for a predominant role of anthropogenic climate change in the observed global mean sea level rise and for an acceleration during recent decades has strengthened since the publication of the IPCC AR5.
Most coastal regions in Europe have experienced an increase in absolute sea level and in sea level relative to land, but there is significant regional variation.
Extreme high coastal water levels have increased at most locations along the European coastline. This increase appears to be predominantly due to increases in mean local sea level rather than to changes in storm activity.
Global mean sea level rise during the 21st century will very likely occur at a higher rate than during the period 1971–2010. Process-based models considered in the IPCC AR5 project a rise in sea level over the 21st century that is likely in the range of 0.26–0.54 m for a low emissions scenario (RCP2.6) and 0.45–0.81 m for a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). However, several recent studies suggest substantially higher values. Several national assessments, expert assessments and recent model-based studies have suggested an upper bound for 21st century global mean sea level rise in the range of 1.5–2.0 m.
Available process-based models project that global mean sea level rise by 2300 will be less than 1 m for greenhouse gas concentrations that peak and decline and do not exceed 500 ppm CO 2 -equivalent, but will be in the range of 1 m to more than 3 m for concentrations above 700 ppm CO 2 -equivalent. However, these models are likely to systematically underestimate the sea level contribution from Antarctica, and some recent studies suggest substantially higher rates of sea level rise in the coming centuries.
The rise in sea level relative to land along most European coasts is projected to be similar to the global average, with the exception of the northern Baltic Sea and the northern Atlantic Coast, which are experiencing considerable land rise as a consequence of post-glacial rebound.
Projected increases in extreme high coastal water levels are likely to mostly be the result of increases in local relative mean sea level in most locations. However, recent studies suggest that increases in the meteorologically driven surge component can also play a substantial role, in particular along the northern European coastline.

The table shows the areal extent of Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected areas (MPAs), namely area coverage, percentage of coverage and total number of sites.
Data excludes the Icelandic Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea

The table shows the percentage cover of MPAs and distance to 10% target for each regional and sub regional sea and by distance zone from the coastline modified from the report: Spatial analysis of Marine Protected Area Networks in Europe´s seas. EEA Technical report, no 17/2015

The EEA coastline for analysis is created for highly detailed analysis, e.g. 1:100 000, for geographical Europe.
The criteria for defining the coastline is the line separating water from land.
The EEA coastline is a product derived from two sources: EU-Hydro and GSHHG.
In the 2015 version of the dataset, several corrections were made in the Kalogeroi Islands (coordinates 38.169, 25.287) and two other Greek little islets (coordinates 36.766264, 23.604318), as well as in the peninsula of Porkkala (around coordinates 59.99, 24.42).

The marine regions and subregions map and correspondent layers provide information about the geographic boundaries of the areas listed in Article 4 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The map has been developed to support DG Environment and EU Member States in their implementation of the MSFD. It represents the current state of understanding of the marine regions and subregions and is subject to amendment in light of any new information which may be produced.

The EEA coastline for analysis is created for highly detailed analysis, e.g. 1:100 000, for geographical Europe.
The criteria for defining the coastline is the line separating water from land.
The EEA coastline is a product derived from two sources: EU-Hydro and GSHHG.
In the 2015 version of the dataset, several corrections were made in the Kalogeroi Islands (coordinates 38.169, 25.287) and two other Greek little islets (coordinates 36.766264, 23.604318), as well as in the peninsula of Porkkala (around coordinates 59.99, 24.42).

The European Environment Agency has developed Marine LitterWatch mobile app to collect information on marine litter and strengthen Europe’s knowledge base and thus provide support to European policy making. Marine LitterWatch is a citizen science based app that aims to help fill data gaps in beach litter monitoring.

It is not possible to assess whether past climate change has already affected water- and food-borne diseases in Europe, but the sensitivity of pathogens to climate factors suggest that climate change could be having effects on these diseases.
The number of vibriosis infections, which can be life-threatening, has increased substantially in Baltic Sea states since 1980. This increase has been linked to observed increases in sea surface temperature, which has improved environmental conditions for Vibrio species blooms in marine waters. The unprecedented number of vibriosis infections in 2014 has been attributed to the unprecedented 2014 heat wave in the Baltic region.
Increased temperatures could increase the risk of salmonellosis.
The risk of campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis could increase in those regions where precipitation or extreme flooding is projected to increase.
Climate change can have an impact on food safety hazards throughout the food chain.

Global mean sea level has risen by 19.5 cm from 1901 to 2015, at an average rate of 1.7 mm/year, but with significant decadal variation. The rate of sea level rise since 1993, when satellite measurements have been available, has been higher, at around 3 mm/year. Global mean sea level in 2015 was the highest yearly average over the record and ~70 mm higher than in 1993.
Evidence for a predominant role of anthropogenic climate change in the observed global mean sea level rise and for an acceleration during recent decades has strengthened since the publication of the IPCC AR5.
Most coastal regions in Europe have experienced an increase in absolute sea level and in sea level relative to land, but there is significant regional variation.
Extreme high coastal water levels have increased at most locations along the European coastline. This increase appears to be predominantly due to increases in mean local sea level rather than to changes in storm activity.
Global mean sea level rise during the 21st century will very likely occur at a higher rate than during the period 1971–2010. Process-based models considered in the IPCC AR5 project a rise in sea level over the 21st century that is likely in the range of 0.26–0.54 m for a low emissions scenario (RCP2.6) and 0.45–0.81 m for a high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). However, several recent studies suggest substantially higher values. Several national assessments, expert assessments and recent model-based studies have suggested an upper bound for 21st century global mean sea level rise in the range of 1.5–2.0 m.
Available process-based models project that global mean sea level rise by 2300 will be less than 1 m for greenhouse gas concentrations that peak and decline and do not exceed 500 ppm CO 2 -equivalent, but will be in the range of 1 m to more than 3 m for concentrations above 700 ppm CO 2 -equivalent. However, these models are likely to systematically underestimate the sea level contribution from Antarctica, and some recent studies suggest substantially higher rates of sea level rise in the coming centuries.
The rise in sea level relative to land along most European coasts is projected to be similar to the global average, with the exception of the northern Baltic Sea and the northern Atlantic Coast, which are experiencing considerable land rise as a consequence of post-glacial rebound.
Projected increases in extreme high coastal water levels are likely to mostly be the result of increases in local relative mean sea level in most locations. However, recent studies suggest that increases in the meteorologically driven surge component can also play a substantial role, in particular along the northern European coastline.

The table shows the percentage cover of MPAs and distance to 10% target for each regional and sub regional sea and by distance zone from the coastline modified from the report: Spatial analysis of Marine Protected Area Networks in Europe´s seas. EEA Technical report, no 17/2015

The table shows the areal extent of Europe's seas and selected characteristics of EU marine protected areas (MPAs), namely area coverage, percentage of coverage and total number of sites.
Data excludes the Icelandic Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea